Fictional Podcast: Wizard of Oz – Witchhunters (Part 2 of 3)

Hosts: Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser
Date: October 1, 2025
Episode Theme:
Retelling “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” with a sharp, modern sensibility—this episode guides us through Dorothy and her companions’ harrowing journey into the Emerald City, their fateful meeting(s) with the Wizard, the perilous quest to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West, and the darkly comic, unexpectedly impactful confrontations that follow.

Overview

This episode picks up as Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion reach the Emerald City, only to be sent on a grim quest to kill the Wicked Witch of the West. It blends lighthearted narration, deadpan commentary, and genuine emotional stakes as the group faces a series of horrors, from wolves and crows to the morally ambiguous aftermath of violence. True to “Fictional”’s style, Jason Weiser breathes irreverence and wry humor into the classic tale, making it accessible, relevant, and unexpectedly dark.

Key Discussion Points & Episode Breakdown

1. Arrival at Oz and the Unraveling Mystique (02:26–09:30)

• Dorothy’s party, haggard and traumatized from their journey, is sheltered by a green-clad farm family near the Emerald City. Dorothy muses on the absurdities and dangers of Oz, longing for the drab safety of Kansas.
• The Emerald City is introduced as gaudy and strange, requiring everyone—including Toto—to wear green-tinted, locked-on spectacles.
• The city’s dazzling green is both enchanting and suspicious: “She might have wondered how much work these green glasses were doing, and what else the city might be trying to sidestep with its potential humbuggery.” (Jason, 06:20)

2. Meeting the Wizard—Variants of Authority (09:31–15:50)

• The party is processed through Oz’s baffling bureaucracy.
• Each member meets the Wizard separately; Oz appears in a different terrifying form to each: to Dorothy, a floating head; to Scarecrow, a winged woman; to the Tin Woodman, a five-limbed beast; to the Lion, a ball of fire.
• The price for their wishes is the same: “Kill the Wicked Witch of the West.” This makes a mockery of their expectations—and morality.
• Notable moment: “Help Dorothy kill the Wicked Witch of the West and he would get his heart... Confused that murder, or at the very least, manslaughter, was a prerequisite for getting a heart.” (Jason, 13:40)
• Dorothy’s despair is palpable: “‘I hate your country. I want to go home.’ Then kill the witch. The wizard bellowed.” (Dorothy and Oz, 12:20)
• The group is housed to “prepare” for their quest; their hosts mock their chances.

3. The Road West—Attacks by Minions and Monsters (19:31–33:35)

• The Witch of the West deploys classic villains (wolves, crows, bees) to kill the party.
• The Tin Woodman’s axe dispatches 50 wolves:
    - “The Tin Woodman shook his head and readied his axe, looking to the 49 other wolves sprinting from the forest. ‘Over? It’s just getting started.’” (Jason, 20:30)
• The Scarecrow twists the necks of forty crows:
    - “He plucked one after another out of the air… gave it a quick twist, sometimes hearing the small bones crack…” (Jason, 22:32)
• The Straw Sacrifice: The Scarecrow instructs the others to shield themselves with his straw so the bees can’t sting them, illustrating both devotion and the physical weirdness of Oz.
• Surreal dark comedy: The hosts remark on the arbitrariness of survival and how violence is both shocking and mundane in Oz.

4. Witch’s Last Resort—Summoning the Flying Monkeys (33:36–38:45)

• The Wicked Witch uses the magic golden cap, unleashing flying monkeys—her most potent but limited resource.
• The monkeys brutally destroy the Tin Woodman (dropped from a height onto rocks) and the Scarecrow (ripped apart and flung into a tree).
• The Lion is captured for servitude; Dorothy is seized but unharmed due to the Good Witch’s protection.

5. Captivity and Resistance (38:46–43:05)

• Dorothy and the Lion are enslaved in the witch’s castle; Dorothy is forced into servitude and finds moments to care for the starving Lion.
• The Witch is obsessed with Dorothy’s silver shoes, attempting to steal them by trickery.

6. Climax—The “Accidental” Melting (43:06–45:40)

• A fateful spilled bucket of water results in the Witch’s death.
• Jason’s tongue-in-cheek narration frames the scene with comedic incredulity:
    - “‘Why? Why would anyone think that? Why do you even have a bucket of water in your kitchen if it’s so dangerous?’” (Jason, 45:10)
• The Witch melts, lamenting her death in a bizarre, drawn-out soliloquy, and Dorothy, horrified and desperate, reclaims the silver shoe.
• The segment ends with Dorothy left to process her trauma, now a killer and still exiled from home.
• Notable line: “‘She hadn’t wanted to do it. She hadn’t tried to do it. But she had done it. She had killed the Wicked Witch. And now she will be able to go home.’” (Jason, 45:36)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Sidebar: If you ever meet someone with a large collection of human organs, run.” (Jason, 04:55)
• “Dorothy might have wondered how much work these green glasses were doing, and what else the city might be trying to sidestep with its potential humbuggery.” (Jason, 06:20)
• The wizard’s deadly competence: “If you came on an idle or foolish errand to bother his wise reflections, he might be angry and destroy a person in an instant.” (Guardian, 08:10)
• The Tin Woodman after dispatching wolves: “‘That’s a pile of corpses. You’ve never seen a pile of corpses?’ ‘No, no, I have not.’ Dorothy grimaced.” (20:40)
• The Scarecrow’s existential quip: “Does it hurt for you?” (Scarecrow, 27:40)
• The Witch’s bravado and terror: “‘I will get that other shoe. I will break the spell that binds you. Then I will break everything… You will all end up like the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. Dead-eyed. Dead. Begging for death before the end.’” (Witch, 44:40)
• The melting: “‘Didn’t you know water would be the end of me? ...In a minute, I shall melt away... I never thought a little girl like you would be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds. Look out, here I go.’” (Witch, 45:15)
• On narrative tone: “She could only stand and watch, silently glad that enough of the witch had melted to cease her narration of her own death.” (Jason, 45:30)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|-------------| | Dorothy’s weariness, arrival near Oz | 02:26–05:00 | | Emerald City & Reluctant Bureaucracy | 06:00–09:30 | | The party’s separate meetings with Oz | 09:45–15:50 | | The Lion’s summary of their quest | 15:50–17:00 | | Preparation for the journey west | 17:00–19:30 | | First wave: Wolves attack | 20:00–21:40 | | Second wave: Crows attack | 22:00–24:00 | | Third wave: Bees attack | 24:45–27:30 | | Winkies and Witch’s desperation | 31:30–33:35 | | The golden cap and flying monkeys | 33:36–38:45 | | The Lion’s servitude and Dorothy’s captivity | 39:45–43:00 | | The Witch’s obsession with the silver shoes | 43:00–44:15 | | The accidental melting of the Witch | 45:00–45:40 | | Dorothy’s exhausted, haunted victory | 45:36 |

Episode Tone and Style

The episode juxtaposes the whimsy and oddball logic of Baum’s original with sly, modern-day quips—never shying from the story’s sudden violence or psychological toll. There’s a deliberate use of gallows humor, satirical asides, and meta-literary commentary throughout, anchoring the listener in the present even as classic characters endure the bizarre and brutal logic of Oz.

Conclusion

This middle installment plunges listeners deep into the dark heart of Baum’s world: the supposed magic and whimsy of Oz giving way to surreal bureaucracy, ambiguous morality, and comically grisly violence. Jason and Carissa weave together authentic emotion, black comedy, and clever observation. Dorothy’s journey is transformed from a familiar fairytale into a wild mixture of psychological endurance and shocking carnage—setting the stage for a finale where, perhaps, escape or resolution awaits.